{"id":2285,"date":"2025-02-04T10:39:54","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T10:39:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/mastering-the-overhead-triceps-extension-technique.html"},"modified":"2025-02-04T10:39:54","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T10:39:54","slug":"mastering-the-overhead-triceps-extension-technique","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/health\/mastering-the-overhead-triceps-extension-technique.html","title":{"rendered":"Mastering the Overhead Triceps Extension Technique"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Though they might seem like just a vanity muscle, triceps are critical to your upper body\u2019s overall strength and power. And since the triceps muscle accounts for two-thirds of your upper arm\u2019s overall mass, isolating it is key to gaining size and strength.<\/p>\n<p>One of the best movements for accomplishing this is the overhead triceps extension.<\/p>\n<p>The overhead triceps extension should be a key player in every triceps workout. It won\u2019t just help you build strong tris; the move also helps set you up for success in other areas.<\/p>\n<p>As Cody Braun, CSCS, notes, strong triceps \u201cassist the chest and shoulder muscles in many functional pressing movements.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Think: common weightlifting exercises like the\u00a0shoulder press\u00a0and\u00a0bench press, plus\u00a0everyday movements\u00a0like picking up your kids or putting away heavy groceries on high shelves.<\/p>\n<h2>Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension: Step-by-Step Instructions<\/h2>\n<p><iframe class=\"ql-video\" src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/1634697872\/SJeKARb7p_default\/index.html?videoId=5559602819001\" width=\"600\" height=\"337.5\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Appears in:<\/strong>\u00a0P90X\u00a0\u2013 Chest, Shoulders &amp; Triceps<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stand with your feet staggered while holding a pair of\u00a0dumbbells directly overhead in your hands, with your palms facing each other and the weights touching.<\/li>\n<li>Without moving your upper arms, lower the weights behind your head. Keep the dumbbells pressed together the whole time.<\/li>\n<li>Press the weights back up to the starting position until your arms are fully extended, stopping short of locking them out.<\/li>\n<li>Alternate your forward foot each set.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>How to Make the Overhead Triceps Extension Easier (and Harder)<\/h2>\n<p>To modify the move, use lighter weights or use a single dumbbell instead of two. If you have limited shoulder mobility or core strength, Braun suggests sitting on an upright bench for this exercise.<\/p>\n<p>To intensify the overhead triceps extension, use heavier weights, or try balancing on one foot to further challenge your core.<\/p>\n<h2>Bonus Tips for Doing the Overhead Triceps Extension<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<p>Braun suggests\u00a0warming up your shoulders\u00a0first for better mobility. Also, remember to engage your core \u2014 this will help protect your lower back and prevent it from arching or swaying.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, it\u2019s an isolation exercise, so you don\u2019t want to go too heavy, or else you may sacrifice form and the full range of motion necessary to take full advantage of the move.<\/p>\n<h2>Variations on the Overhead Triceps Extension<\/h2>\n<p>If you have access to a weight machine, try the cable overhead triceps extension. This, too, can be performed standing or seated.<\/p>\n<h2>Benefits of the Overhead Triceps Extension<\/h2>\n<p>The overhead triceps extension achieves a few important objectives. Beyond strengthening all three heads of the triceps (more on that below), it also activates your core and recruits your shoulder muscles for stability, Braun says.<\/p>\n<p>Plus, in the variation depicted in the video above, the overhead triceps extension targets each arm separately, forcing you to confront and correct any muscle imbalances\u00a0you might have.<\/p>\n<h2>What Muscles Are Used in the Overhead Triceps Extension?<\/h2>\n<h3>Triceps<\/h3>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-145298\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/14153609\/arm-muscles-600-triceps-anatomy.jpg\" alt=\"triceps anatomy | arm muscles\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s no surprise which muscle benefits most from the overhead triceps extension.<\/p>\n<p>But the way in which the muscle is worked during any\u00a0triceps exercise\u00a0varies depending on a number of factors, including grip, body position, and plane of movement.<\/p>\n<p>The triceps is a single muscle comprised of three heads. Working outward from body, they are: the long head, the medial head, and the lateral head.<\/p>\n<p>The medial and lateral heads originate atop the humerus (upper-arm bone), while the long head originates at the scapula (shoulder blade).<\/p>\n<p>They all eventually fuse together and attach at the elbow to facilitate the straightening of your arm.<\/p>\n<p>The medial head is framed by the other two, which form the horseshoe associated with a defined triceps muscle.<\/p>\n<h3>Deltoid<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-144336\" src=\"https:\/\/bod-blog-assets.prod.cd.beachbodyondemand.com\/bod-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/20125852\/shoulder-heads-deltoid.png\" alt=\"shoulder heads deltoid | shoulder workout for mass\" width=\"600\" height=\"378\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<p>This is the muscle most responsible for movement of your shoulder, the body\u2019s most mobile joint.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s comprised of three sections: the\u00a0anterior\u00a0(front) deltoid, which helps raise your arm forward; the lateral (side) deltoid, which helps raise your arm out to the side; and the\u00a0posterior\u00a0(rear) deltoid, which helps raise your arm behind you.<\/p>\n<p>In an overhead triceps extension, the anterior delt receives the greatest emphasis.<\/p>\n<h2>Alternatives to the Dumbbell Overhead Triceps Extension<\/h2>\n<p>Here are some other exercises that target the triceps just as effectively.<\/p>\n<h3>1. Skull crusher<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/1634697872\/SJeKARb7p_default\/index.html?videoId=5755911951001\" width=\"600\" height=\"337.5\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong>Appears in:<\/strong>\u00a0Body Beast\u00a0&gt;&gt; Chest\/Tris<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Lie down on a bench or the floor holding a pair of dumbbells directly above your chest with your palms facing each other. Your feet should be flat on the floor.<\/li>\n<li>Without moving your upper arms, bend your elbows and slowly lower the weights toward the sides of your head. Avoid flaring your elbows.<\/li>\n<li>Reverse the move to return to the starting position. Repeat for reps.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>2. Triceps kickback<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/1634697872\/SJeKARb7p_default\/index.html?videoId=5559604038001\" width=\"600\" height=\"337.5\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><strong>Appears in:<\/strong>\u00a0P90X\u00a0&gt;&gt; Shoulders and Arms<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Stand holding a pair of dumbbells in front of your shoulders (palms facing inward) with your elbows bent and at your sides.<\/li>\n<li>Step one foot back, and bend your knees slightly. Hinge forward at your hips so that your chest is almost parallel to the floor. This is the starting position.<\/li>\n<li>Keeping your back flat, core engaged, and upper arms firmly at your sides, straighten your elbows, pushing the weights back as you fully extend your forearms behind you.<\/li>\n<li>Bring the dumbbells back to the starting position, and repeat. Alternate your forward leg with each set.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>3. Triceps rope pushdown<\/h3>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/players.brightcove.net\/1634697872\/SJeKARb7p_default\/index.html?videoId=5565596064001\" width=\"600\" height=\"337.5\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p><strong data-redactor-tag=\"strong\">Appears in:\u00a0Sagi\u2019s BOD exclusives\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 Chest and Tris<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hook a two-handled rope attachment up to a cable machine, and set the pulley around shoulder height.<\/li>\n<li>Grasp the handles with your palms facing inward, and step backward a foot or two in order to create tension on the cable. Then hinge forward with your torso about 30 degrees.<\/li>\n<li>Keeping your elbows at your sides, extend your arms fully toward the floor.<\/li>\n<li>Reverse the movement to return to the starting position, and repeat.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Though they might seem like just a vanity muscle, triceps are critical to your upper body\u2019s overall strength and power. And since the triceps muscle accounts for two-thirds of your upper arm\u2019s overall mass, isolating it is key to gaining size and strength. One of the best movements for accomplishing this is the overhead triceps [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2484,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2285","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2285","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2285"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2285\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2285"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2285"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ozhelp.org.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2285"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}